Saint Leo, Fla. (December 5, 2007) - Saint Leo head softball coach Christi Wade has announced the signing of seven new players during the NCAA’s early signing period.

The Lions have signed a trio of outfielders, one infielder, a utility player, catcher and pitcher. Each of the signings hails from Florida and has impressive high school career statistics and achievements to their credit. The players will join the team for the 2009 season.

Heading the list of early signings is junior college transfer Tiffinee Harvey from Manatee Community College. She was a First Team NJCAA All-American, ranking third in the nation with 77 RBI last season. Harvey was also named the 2007 Suncoast Conference Player of the Year and looks to make an immediate impact.

Additionally, the Lions added outfielder Amber Martyn from Glades Day School in Belle Glade, Fla. Martyn batted .375 with 10 doubles, seven triples, 25 runs scored, an on-base percentage of .431 and a perfect fielding percentage in 2007. She is a three-time Sun-Sentinel and Palm Beach Post All-Area selection (2005, 2006, 2007), and also a two-time All-State selection.

Dianne Gonzalez from Riverview High School was the another outfielder signed early by the Lions. Gonzalez batted .286 with an on-base percentage of .330 and fielded .989 in 2007 en route to being named Second Team All-Western Conference. In addition, she served as President of her school’s Spanish Club and volunteered at Tampa General Hospital. Dianne plays on the Tampa Mustangs-Blue travel team.

The Lions have also signed catcher Brittany Yates from Riverview High School, and a teammate of Gonzalez. Yates was the Rookie of the Year during her freshman year and has since been named Honorable Mention All-Western Conference in 2007. She batted .356 with 30 RBI, five doubles, one triple and three home runs in 2007. She plays her travel ball for the Tampa Heatwave.

Kristen Kelly, a pitcher from Bloomingdale High School, has also put together impressive numbers during her high school career. Kelly has posted 183 strikeouts with an ERA of 2.30 in 2006 and 2.59 in 2007. She has also been successful at the plate, batting over .330 in 2006 and 2007. She was a First Team All-Country and Western Conference selection in 2006, helping Bloomingdale win the District title.

Danielle Moreda hails from Chamberlain High School in Tampa, Fla. The first baseman/third baseman has been a member of a team that has finished in the Final Four in each of the past three years in Class 5A. Received the 2007 Hustle-Attitude & Hard Work Award and was also a Second Team All-County selection. She batted .340 with 19 RBI and 10 runs scored in 2007. Moreda plays travel ball for the Tampa Mustangs-Blue

Utility player Ali Lamb rounds out the early signings for the Saint Leo softball team. Lamb plays for Countryside High School where she batted .333 with three home runs, 19 RBI and a .981 fielding percentage in 2007. She played travel ball with Team FLA, which finished ninth in the 2007 Nationals.

The Saint Leo softball team will open its 2008 season at home versus the University of Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday, February 9. The doubleheader will begin at 1:00 p.m., as the Lions will play their first eight games at home.